Kim Jung-hee had long set her eyes on the fashion industry of New York City, partly because she felt similarities to it and living in the hip and fashionable Hongdae district in Seoul and also because she majored in fashion and art education in college and worked as a fashion jewelry designer.

“I noticed there’s opportunity in the fashion jewelry market in New York City because it’s growing despite the economic slowdown,” the 37-year-old said in an interview.

“Although the economy was bad, New Yorkers who were keen to maintain their fashion styles continued to buy jewelry items, driving up demand.”

New Yorkers, Kim said, tend to incorporate jewelry items tightly into their overall style routinely, and since such products are relatively cheap yet highly effective fashion-wise, sales have continued to grow in recent years.

Sensing a chance, she flew to New York City in mid-2009 and within less than two weeks landed a fashion jewelry designer position in a mix of luck and her career experience.

Once in New York, Kim expanded her networks with other designers, fashion models and business people in the sector. Her experience in the Hongdae district’s liberal atmosphere and diverse fashion trends helped her settle in the Big Apple faster than others, she said.

Kim is currently focused on setting up her own style by putting together tradition Korean patterns and New York architecture in her jewelry designs, showcasing her work at trade exhibitions such as ASD Tradeshow in Las Vegas and the International Fashion Jewelry and Accessory Group Show in New York.

One pleasant surprise Kim noticed is that Korean Americans stand out in the fashion jewelry market in New York.

“Koreans are generally known for being good at detailed work using their hands, which is perfect for jewelry design, and I came to know that more than 70 percent of jewelry companies in New York are run by Korean Americans,” Kim said.

While the Korean Americans active in New York’s jewelry industry are descendants of first-generation Korean immigrants to the U.S. who sought a new life by seeking the American dream, Kim belongs to a growing number of Koreans in their 20s and 30s who are shifting their eyes to overseas markets in what is called the ‘new American dream’ of seeking a career that goes beyond borders and nationalities.

As part of efforts to advance her career further, Kim said she’s getting ready to launch an online shopping mall and provide products to shops in other major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldcorp.com)